Raised beds made of galvanized steel add a modern, clean look to the garden. In fact, they last much longer than rot-resistant woods like cedar. Besides their longevity benefits, they can be placed absolutely anywhere that gets six to eight hours of sunlight a day (less if you grow shade vegetables). Place one on your driveway, in the middle of your lawn, or on a small patio. Unless you opt for DIY, a galvanized loft bed is perfect for those who don't have the tools, carpentry skills, or time to build one. Simply set it up, fill it with soil, and plant!
Galvanized raised beds have become very common when it comes to common materials used in raised bed gardens. What started as a few clever gardeners using water tanks (large pots traditionally used to rehydrate livestock) for gardens has grown into an entire industry of garden containers and structures that mimic designs.
Raised beds made of galvanized steel add a modern, clean look to the garden. In fact, they last much longer than rot-resistant woods like cedar. Besides their longevity benefits, they can be placed absolutely anywhere that gets six to eight hours of sunlight a day (less if you grow shade vegetables). Place one on your driveway, in the middle of your lawn, or on a small patio. Unless you opt for DIY, a galvanized loft bed is perfect for those who don't have the tools, carpentry skills, or time to build one. Simply set it up, fill it with soil, and plant!
I love the aesthetic of these instant gardens and DIY gardens. In this article, I have collected some tips and styles so you can decide if you want to choose a steel garden bed over one made of wood, fabric, plastic, etc.
Adding soil to galvanized raised beds
The same soil mix you use for a wooden raised bed can be used to fill a galvanized steel bed. One thing to note, especially if you are filling a conventional tank, is that you will need a lot of soil due to the depth. This can be expensive. A soil calculator can help you determine how much you need based on the size of your garden.
Personally, I have filled all my raised beds with good quality triple mix soil. This mix is usually one-third soil, one-third peat moss, and one-third compost. I always fertilize the soil with a few inches of compost.
Find Prefab Galvanized Loft Beds and Kits
Many companies have cleverly created the appearance of weightless galvanized steel storage tanks. Tanks are heavy. You might even find something without a bottom that you don't really need. An example is these metal raised garden bed kits from Birdies. You can simply place the frame in the garden, sidewalk or flagstone, or place it directly on the lawn and fill it with soil. If you want to place it anywhere else, be aware of the weight of the garden you add soil to. For example, it may be too heavy for a deck or porch.
Traditional storage tanks can be found at farms or hardware stores. You can find cheaper ones on classified sites.
The best part is that there are so many shapes and sizes to choose from. If you have a little corner of the sun, there's probably a galvanized loft bed that will fit. They also make a great addition around an existing loft bed. Smaller versions can be used for plants that you don't want scattered elsewhere in the garden, such as mint or strawberries.
